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begginers flash umbrella & stand

Posted 05/03/2010 - 13:55 Link
Hi folks
thinking a bit about getting a simple umbrella and stand to do a bit of flash photography - subject = baby (prob sleeping), location - in the home, so nothing too big methinks

I am initially thinking of using an AF540FGZ on a stand and potentially could also use old thyristor flash, no budget for a 2nd new flash I'm not thinking of studio always on type lighting, just trying to get a nicely diffused more natural look.


just started looking around but at first sight something like this seems suitable

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-interfit-85cm-translucent-umbrella-with-silv...

or http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-interfit-109cm-translucent-umbrella-with-sil...
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-lastolite-80cm-dual-duty-silver-black-white-...
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-lastolite-100cm-dual-duty-umbrella-white-sil...

a kit ?
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-lastolite-100cm-all-in-one-umbrella-kit/p102...

but umbrella + this stand seems cheaper :
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-giottos-lc210-1-light-stand/p1025901
air-cushion sounds appealing considering the cost of flashguns now, the min height might be bit high ?

I can get my hands on a music stand, wonder if this might be adapted, probably weighted at the base for stability ?

I would welcome your thoughts and advice on pitfalls / anything better value. I'm pretty much a novice at flash photography and with not much cash to spare I don't want to waste it.

thanks
Edited by bladerunneruk: 05/03/2010 - 14:00
pink
Posted 05/03/2010 - 14:07 Link
If I was to buy my kit again I would buy heavy duty and not light weight stands I'm in the proses of replacing mine

find a heavy duty stand here link


and here link

James
My Fluidr

"To see in colour is a delight for the eye, But to see in black and white is a delight for the soul" ANDRI HERY
Posted 05/03/2010 - 14:11 Link
forgot to add, think I might need one of these too :
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-lastolite-tilthead-with-hotshoe/p1030275
Anvh
Posted 05/03/2010 - 14:25 Link
I bought something like the kit you show there but for almost half the money €80
It was a LumoPro LP604 lightstand + LumoPro LP633 Umbrella Swivel w/ Hot Shoe Adapter + 60" Westcott white-bounce/shoot-through umbrella.

Don't know if you can get those in the UK, at least if you're in the UK since nothing is showing at your location

As for a second flash, just look on the secondhand market as long as it can fit on a Pentax, Nikon or Canon you can use it in manual mode.

For you interest Westcott also make softboxes that fits on umbrella stand link

ps. for your second flash what about this one link
GN 38 (meters) at 35mm ISO100 is a lot, non of the other flashes beside the Pentax AF540FGZ is so strong.
The pentax is 39GN while the Metz 58 has 35GN, all the rest are around 30GN
Stefan
Comment Image

K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
Edited by Anvh: 05/03/2010 - 14:35
Posted 05/03/2010 - 20:54 Link
Anvh wrote:
I bought something like the kit you show there but for almost half the money €80
It was a LumoPro LP604 lightstand + LumoPro LP633 Umbrella Swivel w/ Hot Shoe Adapter + 60" Westcott white-bounce/shoot-through umbrella.

Don't know if you can get those in the UK, at least if you're in the UK since nothing is showing at your location

As for a second flash, just look on the secondhand market as long as it can fit on a Pentax, Nikon or Canon you can use it in manual mode.

For you interest Westcott also make softboxes that fits on umbrella stand link

ps. for your second flash what about this one link
GN 38 (meters) at 35mm ISO100 is a lot, non of the other flashes beside the Pentax AF540FGZ is so strong.
The pentax is 39GN while the Metz 58 has 35GN, all the rest are around 30GN

Hi Anvh, thanks for your thoughts, looks like the LumoPro are US made and imported to NL, I have not found a UK stockist so far (yes I'm in the UK !).

presently an old thyristor flash I have with 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 power options, or the K10's onboard with a diffuser, will have to do until I get the hang of it all and can justify sparing some cash.

not looked for westcott yet, but what made you go for a 60inch umbrella, that's huge!?? Seems a bit big for indoors for small UK houses at least. Thanks for the tip about softboxes fitting on umbrella stands.

cheers
Posted 05/03/2010 - 21:14 Link
pink wrote:
If I was to buy my kit again I would buy heavy duty and not light weight stands I'm in the proses of replacing mine

find a heavy duty stand here link


and here link

James

Hi James, thanks for your thoughts, what makes a stand heavy duty vs lightweight for you ? Is it the max weight it can support, or the construction, or other factors ?

The viewfinderphotography site is a bit thin on details wrt lighting stands, makes it tricky to compare, do you like their kit particularly ?

cheers
pink
Posted 05/03/2010 - 21:15 Link
I could sell and stand and a flash holder

stand £15.00 interfit
flash lightstand hot shoes £10

Lightstand has a holder(bag)

James

PM me if intrested
My Fluidr

"To see in colour is a delight for the eye, But to see in black and white is a delight for the soul" ANDRI HERY
pink
Posted 05/03/2010 - 21:24 Link
yes viewfinder is outstanding quality and second to none IMHO

ESP for the price heavy duty as in build quality never had a problem

when you start using it Out side you don't want it to blow away and ESP when you start hanging soft boxes with boom arms you don't want it to fall over because the base size is to small.

believe me once you start you will want more kit and want to do more with it.

James
My Fluidr

"To see in colour is a delight for the eye, But to see in black and white is a delight for the soul" ANDRI HERY
Anvh
Posted 05/03/2010 - 22:13 Link
bladerunneruk wrote:
Hi Anvh, thanks for your thoughts, looks like the LumoPro are US made and imported to NL, I have not found a UK stockist so far (yes I'm in the UK !).

presently an old thyristor flash I have with 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 power options, or the K10's onboard with a diffuser, will have to do until I get the hang of it all and can justify sparing some cash.

not looked for westcott yet, but what made you go for a 60inch umbrella, that's huge!?? Seems a bit big for indoors for small UK houses at least. Thanks for the tip about softboxes fitting on umbrella stands.

cheers

Indeed they are from the USA I believe and imported to the Netherlands, they are good products for the price. You can find some reviews on the web, it's a shame no one in the UK has them.

Ah yes 60inch is quite large but I rather have it too large then too small, I went for the 60inch for the softer light, you can quite easily place the umbrella closer to the flash and it will behave like a smaller umbrella so I've more options. Also Dutch homes are a bit higher I believe.
When I get my second stand I'll probably get two 43inch that fold down very small for portability and later on a softbox from Westcott (I don't believe anyone else make such softboxes).
Stefan
Comment Image

K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
Glover
Posted 16/03/2010 - 09:16 Link
I bought a bracket and umbrella off ebay for about £12 and a stand off amazon for about £15 i think, to be honest i cant complain at all at the strength, quality and build of any of it. bracket and umbrella was from hong kong if i remember right.
Pentax K-5
DA 18-55mm AL WR DAL 50-200mm Tamron 70-300mm, Auto Chinon 28mm 2.8. sigma 30mm 1.4 DC
Metz 48 af-1
Flickr
Glover
Posted 16/03/2010 - 09:20 Link
Glover wrote:
I bought a bracket and umbrella off ebay for about £12 and a stand off amazon for about £15 i think, to be honest i cant complain at all at the strength, quality and build of any of it. bracket and umbrella was from hong kong if i remember right.

Ebay bracket and umbrella

and i think this is the stand i got.
Pentax K-5
DA 18-55mm AL WR DAL 50-200mm Tamron 70-300mm, Auto Chinon 28mm 2.8. sigma 30mm 1.4 DC
Metz 48 af-1
Flickr
gartmore
Posted 16/03/2010 - 18:27 Link
Take a look at Calumet link
Ken
“We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson -
Posted 17/04/2010 - 09:21 Link
Anvh wrote:
I bought something like the kit you show there but for almost half the money €80
It was a LumoPro LP604 lightstand + LumoPro LP633 Umbrella Swivel w/ Hot Shoe Adapter + 60" Westcott white-bounce/shoot-through umbrella.

Don't know if you can get those in the UK, at least if you're in the UK since nothing is showing at your location

As for a second flash, just look on the secondhand market as long as it can fit on a Pentax, Nikon or Canon you can use it in manual mode.

For you interest Westcott also make softboxes that fits on umbrella stand link

ps. for your second flash what about this one link
GN 38 (meters) at 35mm ISO100 is a lot, non of the other flashes beside the Pentax AF540FGZ is so strong.
The pentax is 39GN while the Metz 58 has 35GN, all the rest are around 30GN

Hi there, sorry for leaving this thread cold, I'm rather busy at the mo as my wife is expecting so lots of things t do to prepare Sadly not much photography time, I haven't picked my camera up since march !!

Anyway, a few additions :

westcott can be found here in the UK :
http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/public/search.php?manufacturer=Westcott , they seem to have the biggest selection available

westcott US heldesk say apollo and halo series can be used with flashguns

so something like this might be usable : http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/public/view_item_cat.php?catalogue_number=westcot...

one query is whether 16" is ok (I think I'm thinking of it as a main light source off to the side) - indoors usage

another query is whether the silvered inner will make it more harsh than an white umbrella used as a reflector

another query is whether it can be reliably trigger optically - if the flash is inside then unless part of the triggering lightsource comes thru the front of the softbox then it won't work, so have to go wired or radio trigger ??

another query is accesibility to adjust the flashgun settings, looks like i need to open the front of the softbox each time ? probably make more sense to use the AF540 on umbrella and a simple manual flash with a softbox ?

I could probably afford the larger softbox if absolutely essential but not keen to spend too much.

finally, is anyone aware of any resources I could look at to work out lighting setups with 2 umbrellas or 1 umbie & 1 softbox ?

I'm trying to work out what's useful but also flexible, I'd rather spend a little more for something more versatile than be in the buy cheap buy twice situation, but my application is baby photos and family portraits, not fashion!!!

groan, indecision ignorance and confusion !!!

I'll happily admit I'm a complete novice with all this, thanks for the patience
Edited by bladerunneruk: 17/04/2010 - 09:31
Posted 17/04/2010 - 09:22 Link
Glover wrote:
Glover wrote:
I bought a bracket and umbrella off ebay for about £12 and a stand off amazon for about £15 i think, to be honest i cant complain at all at the strength, quality and build of any of it. bracket and umbrella was from hong kong if i remember right.

Ebay bracket and umbrella

and i think this is the stand i got.

thanks for the info
Posted 17/04/2010 - 09:24 Link
pink wrote:
I could sell and stand and a flash holder

stand £15.00 interfit
flash lightstand hot shoes £10

Lightstand has a holder(bag)

James

PM me if intrested

thanks for the offer James, I'm still not sure exactly what I need at present, so I'm in pending mode at present.

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